Kerry On Second Day Of New Mideast Peace Push

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Jerusalem (AFP) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry launched a second day of talks with Israelis and Palestinians on Friday, seeking to hammer out a framework to guide negotiations towards a peace deal.

American officials have privately said they believe the direct talks resumed in July after a three-year hiatus have reached a new phase, as an April deadline for an accord looms, but are struggling to overcome fierce opposition from both sides to any compromises.

Kerry returned to Israel on Thursday for his 10th trip as secretary of state, and went straight into five hours of meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The two men were to meet again around noon on Friday, after Kerry and his team first held breakfast talks at his Jerusalem hotel with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

The top U.S. diplomat will later head to Ramallah for discussions with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas at his headquarters in the occupied West Bank.

But Netanyahu on Thursday was downbeat on progress so far, launching a scathing attack on Abbas and casting doubt on whether he and the Palestinians were genuine in their desire for peace.

“I know that you’re committed to peace, I know that I’m committed to peace. But unfortunately given the actions and words of Palestinian leaders, there’s growing doubt in Israel that the Palestinians are committed to peace,” Netanyahu told a grim-faced Kerry.

Referring to Israel’s release of long-serving Palestinian prisoners as part of the talks, the Israeli leader said Abbas had “embraced terrorists as heroes. To glorify the murderers of innocent women and men as heroes is an outrage.

“He can’t stand against terrorists, and stand with the terrorists.”

But Kerry vowed the United States was committed to working with both sides “to narrow the differences on a framework that will provide the agreed guidelines for permanent status negotiations”.

“This will take time and it will take compromise from both sides. But an agreed framework would be a significant breakthrough.”

U.S. officials have refused to go into specific details about the framework, but have said they hope to conclude it soon.